“I’m good at English… so why am I struggling to write business emails?” That’s what one of my French students asked me.
And he was good. His ideas were brilliant. All he wanted was to sound professional and confident in his emails.
But here’s the thing: writing emails at work isn’t just about language. It’s about business communication.
In a global workplace, there’s always more beneath the surface.
✅ Writing great emails means:
↳ Saying what you really mean
↳ Using the right tone
↳ Being clear and straight to the point
↳ Adapting to cultural differences
↳ Replying quickly and professionally
…and doing all of that in a language that isn’t your own.
These are the invisible skills behind every email. And believe it or not – some native speakers struggle with them too.
Pro tips:
✔️ Don’t just focus on grammar, focus on clarity and impact.
✔️ Pay attention to culture. Your tone may need to shift depending on who you’re writing to.
✔️ Think like your reader. How it’s received matters more than how it’s written.
To all non-native speakers out there:
Your voice deserves to be heard, even in your emails, even in a second language. Make sure your emails sound like you, just in English.
– Non-native English speakers: What’s your biggest challenge when writing business emails in English?
– Native speakers: What have you learned about supporting your international colleagues?
Let’s share and learn from each other 👇
